Asbestos-sheet connector.



R. LEVENS.

ASBESTOS SHEET CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION. man Dec. 5. |916.

1,244,870. Patented oet. 30,1917.

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wue'mffov UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

RICHARD LEVENs, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AsBEsTos-sHEET CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 5, 1916. Serial No. 135,167.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, RICHARD LEvENs, a citizen of the- United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Asbestos-Sheet Connectors, of which the following is a specilication.

The present invention relates to fire-proof building structures, asbestosand otherwise and has particular reference to new and useful improvements in structural unit connectors.

An object of my invention is to provide a connector Ifor asbestos sheets or the like used inrl building fire-proof buildings.

Another object of my invention is to providea connector for asbestos sheets, metal sheets and the like which is strong and du.- rable, cheap to manufacture and effective in use, the device being capable ofquick and easy insertion in a building wall or the like during course of construction whereby to connect the adjoining edges of asbestos sheets or metal sheets to form the wall.

A further object of my invention is to provide a connector of the class described having a construction permitting expansion and contraction of the adjoining sheets, the device also forming the vertical beams of the building.

Astill further object of my invention is to provide a connector of the class described which not only securely connects adjoining sheet sections but also prevents ingress of dust, moisture, or the like.

Other objectsandadv-antages to be derived from the use of my improved sheet connector for building structures will appear from the following detailed description and ythe claims, taken with an inspection of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmental transverse sec-I tional view of a sheet connector embodyingl the improvements of my invention;

Fig. 2 is anenlarged fragmental vertical sectional view of the same; v

Fig. 3 is a similar view ofthe modified form of the invention; and

Fig; 4 is a fragmental sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring more Iparticularly to the drawing, whereiny similar characters of reference designate like and corresponding parts throughout the various views, a and bdesigi nate in their entireties, the connector portions of my invention. In view of the fact that the connector a is ident-ical in construction with the connector b I shall describe but one of the same, reference being had to the connectorc.

Referring specifically yto the connector a the same is lformed from a strip of metal 1 bent upon itself intermediate its side margins as at 2 and 3, a space 4 being provided between the main portion of the strip and the bent portions thereof for expansion and contraction purposes as will hereinafter appear.

The portions formed by bending the strips are in turn bent t0 form longitudinal walls 5 and in slight spaced relation, the metal beingfagain bentas'at 7 to form longitudinal .flanges 8 and 9. The free margins of the iianges are folded as at 10 tostrengthen the same. It-will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 1 that by bending the metal as :shown a pair of elongated pockets 12 and 1 8 are provided in which the asbestos or metal sheets 14 and 15 may be inserted. The

To properly associate the connectors a, and

Z2, I provide a plurality of transverse strips 15 having their free ends inserted between the walls 5 and 6, the extremities of said strips being bent to form tongues 16 for engagement in the expansionv chamber 4. Any suitable means may be provided for retaining the tongues 16 in said chamber, such as lsoldering or' the like.

A longitudinal Stringer or beam 17 V is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said beam being wooden. When a wooden beam is employed as shown vapair'of wood screws 18 and 19 are inserted through openings 20 formed in the connectors a and b, said wood screws en aging the beam 17.

. en a double wall construction is employed an inner wall is provided consisting of the plates or sheets 21 and 22 attached to the connector beam in a manner similar to the sheets 14 and 15 hereinbefore referred to.

In some instances itfmay be desiredto employ an entirely metallic superstructure for a building and in this instance the beam 17 would be substituted by a channel-iron 24 f x. i Patented 0013. 30, 191 f.

The anges 25 of the channel iron are provided with threaded openings in which the machine screws 26 are en aged, said machine screws passing throug the connectors a and b similarly to the Wood screws 18 and 19 hereinbefore referred to. 'Ihe construction of the connectors is identical in this form of my invention to the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

When the superstructure has been finished and the asbestos or metal plates inserted into position, the space between the same is usually filled with concrete. In this manner a solid and durable building structure .is afforded which is absolutely lire-proof and moisture-proof.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified form ,f my invention particularly adapted for use at the corners of buildings. The connector in this instance includes a body B bent intermediate its ends as indicated at 28 to form a right-angular strip, the free margins thereof being formed with the plate receiving channels 29 and 30 similar to the channels hereinbefore referred to. The wall plates are designated 31 and 32 and are receivable in said channels. In a double wall construction two of the angular connectors may be employed. It is not thought necessary to show the inner connector in view of the obvious manner in which the same would be arranged. Y

It will thus be seen that in construct-ing a building embodying the connectors and plates as shown space 1s affordedfor gas and electric conduits or for heating purposes or the like. The connecting members when made of stout metal not only serve as vertical I-beams similar to those in a metallic building structure but also serve to connect the various sections of the wall. It will also be noted that the connector as formed permits connection of the plates thereto and also aords an expansion and contraction joint variable under temperatures, yet at all times forming an intimate connection with the plates inserted 'thereinto, thereby effectively excluding moisture from a building.

Fromthe above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it

is thought that a clear and comprehensive understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of my invention may be had, and while I have shown and described the device as embodying a specific structure, I desire that it be understood that such changes may be made in said structure as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A device as specified including a pair of sections, each section being formed of a single sheet metal strip bent to form a pair of oppositely disposedchannels adapted to springingly engage objects to be connected, means for connecting said sections in spaced relation, and the extremities of the inner channel walls of each section being bent back upon said walls to form a marginal enlargement to allow for expansion and contraction of the objects engaged, and to reinforce the edges of said walls.

2. A device as specified including a sheet metal strip bent to form a air of oppostely disposed channels adapteld to springingly engage objects to be connected, the side edges of the strip forming the extremities of the inner channel walls being bent inwardly and back upon the walls to yform 'a marginal enlargement to allow for yeXpansion and contraction of the objects to be engaged and to reinforce the edges of said wal s.

3. A device as specified including a pair y.

channels and the extremities thereof bent laterally at their ends and disposed between the outer channel wall and adjacent the oenter portion of each section.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature hereto. e v

. RICHARD LEVENS. 

